§ Lord Hoyleasked Her Majesty's Government:
On what issues they sought responses from those consulted about the introduction of private escorts for abnormal loads on motorways; from whom responses to the consultation document were sought; who responded and when they expect to reach conclusions to this question. [HL3832]
§ The Attorney-General (Lord Williams of Mostyn)The main issue in the consultation document related to the proposal to allow private escorts to take over the police task of escorting abnormal loads weighing between 100 and 150 tonnes, with a width of 4.3–4.6 metres, on motorways and linking dual carriageways only.
232WAThe consultation document was sent to 258 consultees, of whom 57 responded. The responses include letters from the Road Haulage Association, the Heavy Transport Association, the Association of Chief Police Officers, the Highways Agency, the Automobile Association and the Royal Automobile Club. I have arranged for copies of the consultation document, the full list of consultees and the full list of those who responded to be placed in the House of Lords Library.
We expect to reach preliminary conclusions on the issue in the autumn of this year.